Electrical contact and edge connector for such contact



March 9, 1965 A. B. CLEWES ELECTRICAL. CONTACT AND EDGE CONNECTOR FOR SUCH CONTACT Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN Y March 9, 1965 A. B. CLEWES 3,172,717

ELECTRICAL CONTACT AND EDGE CONNECTOR FOR SUCH CONTACT Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 2 a I a a 3 /4 l5 IE3 6 x ,6 Q 38 L ll Ll E [:i T I 1 14 /5 l5 7 V3 FIG 6 F Z lNvEN-roR flNfOA/Y 518452962 (LE/V55 ATTQRNEY United States Patent Office 3,172,717 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 This invention relates to an electrical contact more particularly for assembly with a socket or edge connector for use with printed panels.

An electrical contact for an electrical connector comprising a resilient portion adapted to be disposed in the connector for resiliently engaging a conductor to be inserted into the connector, a separately formed terminal being secured to an extension of the resilient portion, as by welding, the terminal including a post or leg having substantially greater rigidity than the said resilient portion such that it is suitable for the attachment of a lead wire by a wire wrapping operation.

An edge connector for a printed panel comprising a body formed of insulating material and having a longitudinally extending slot opening onto one face of the body for receiving the panel, a series of electrical contacts mounted in the slot at longitudinally spaced intervals and each including an arm adapted to resiliently engage a panel when inserted, and a tail projecting from the opposite face of the body and secured, as by welding, to a terminal member formed separately from the arm and tail, the terminal member including a post or leg having substantially greater rigidity than the said arm and tail so that it is suitable for attachment to a lead wire by a Wire wrapping operation.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of an edge connector and assembled contact according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an under plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an elevation illustrating the separately formed load wire attaching portion of the contact;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of an edge connector and assembled contacts according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an under plan view thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the edge connector illustrated in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is an elevation of the separately formed lead wire attaching terminal.

With reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 to 3 the edge connector comprises a body 1 formed of insulating material having a longitudinally extending slot 2 for receiving a printed panel when inserted edgewise. A plurality of electrical contacts are assembled in the connector each including a base 3, a reversely bent arm portion 4 having an inwardly bent end 5, such that a panel inserted into the slot will have its opposed surfaces resiliently engaged by arm portions of opposed contacts. Each contact also includes a t ail piece 6 projecting through a slot in the under face of the body 1.

The under face of the body 1 is also formed with a plurality of transversely extending slots 7 (FIGURE 2) the walls of which have inwardly extending ribs 8 and 9. The under face of the body is further provided with a central longitudinally extending rib 10.

It will be noted that the arm portions 4 and tail pieces 6 of opposed contacts are in parallel relation. A separately formed wire receiving terminal is provided comprising a base 11 having a slot 12 and a terminal post or leg 13 extending normally from the under face of the base.

The separately formed wire receiving terminal is assembled by presenting the base 11 to the under face of the body of the connector in alignment with one of the slots 7 such that the rib 10 on the under face of the body enters the slit 12 and the ribs 8 and 9 make an interference fit with opposite sides of the base.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the tail 6 of opposed contacts extend along opposed end walls of the base of the terminal and are welded thereto.

Initially the sides of the base 11 are formed with dimples a to facilitate the spot welding of the tail 6 to the side walls. When the welding has been completed the dimple will have disappeared leaving the tails flush with the side wall.

The contact assembled within the body 1 of the edge connector has necessarily to be made of relatively thin metal if it is to perform its allotted purpose-i.e. resiliently to engage the inserted panel. It follows that the tails 6 which are integral with the arm portions will also be made of thin metal and would, therefore, not be particularly suitable for having wires attached by a wire wrapping operation. The lead wire attaching terminal, being separately formed, can be made of thicker metal having a substantially greater rigidity than the arms and tail and the post or leg 13 can, therefore, be made sufliciently rigid to make it admirably suited for wire wrapping.

With reference to the second embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings, an edge connector comprises a body 1a of insulating material, having a longitudinal slot 2a, the opposed sides of the body being formed with lateral shoulders 14 having a series of spaced slots 15. A plurality of electrical contacts are assembled in the body, each having a base 3a and arm portions 4a, 5a, and a tail 6a. In this embodiment the separately formed lead wire terminal comprises a base 11a, arms 16, 16a, extending from one side of the base and the post or leg 13a extending from the opposite side. attaching terminal is assembled by presenting it to the under face of the body 1 such that the arms 16, 16a are aligned with slots 15 on opposite sides of the body 1. The tail pieces 6a of two opposed contacts are bent to extend laterally outwards along the under face of the body and the arms 16, 16a are inserted through slots in adjacent portions of the tail pieces and are then entered into the slots 15 until the base 11a abuts the under-face of the body 1. The outer end portions of the tail pieces of opposed contacts are bent to lie along opposed end wall of the base 11a and are welded thereto. Preferably, the arms 16, 16a are of such length that their upper ends project beyond the upper ends of the slots 15 and the ends of these arms are bent over the shoulders 14. Preferably, the bending of the ends of the arms to stake them to the shoulders is effected before the tail pieces 6a are welded to the base 13a so that the staking serves initially to secure the separately formed wire attaching terminal.

As in the first embodiment of the invention by separately forming the wire attaching terminal, it is possible to make it of thicker and more rigid metal than the resilient arm portions of the contact and accordingly the posts or legs can be made of such rigidity as to make them admirable for having wires attached by a wire wrapping operation.

The wire receiving post or leg is shown as being olfset, with respect to the centre line of the base but if desired it may be centrally located.

The particular arrangement of edge connector illustrated in the accompanying drawings is adapted for use with panels having printed circuitry etched or marked on one side. If the etching or marking is on both sides The lead wire the printed circuitry should be continuous from one side to the other.

I claim:

An edge connector for a printed panel comprising a body formed of insulating material and having a longitudinally extending slot opening on to one face of the body for receiving said panel, a series of electrical contacts mounted in said slot at longitudinally spaced intervals, each of said contacts having an arm adapted to resiliently engage said panel when inserted, a tail portion integrally joined to said arm projecting from the opposite face of said body, terminal elements each having a base portion and a rigid depending element suitable for attachment to a lead wire by a Wire-wrapping operation, said base portions being in initial assembly with said body and each having oneedge in engagement with said opposite face of said body, and each of said tail portions of said contacts being welded to an edge of said base portion adjacent said edge in engagement with said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,706,412 Roberts Mar. 26, 1929 2,630,462 Purdy Mar. 3, 1953 2,959,762 Schlee Nov. 8, 1960 3,001,171 Schultz Sept. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 843,797 Great Britain Aug. 10, 1960 

